The Effect Of Teenage Pregnancy On Children - 1636 Words

This study examined the effect of teenage pregnancy on children by exploring the results of an ADHD survey, ASRS-v1.1. The study sampled 100 kindergarten students, 50 had teenage mothers and 50 had mothers who gave birth during adulthood. A quantitative research method was utilized along with the difference-oriented research strategy approach. The independent variable is identified as the age of pregnancy and the two variant levels are: pregnant teens, ages 13-19, and pregnant women in adulthood, ages 25-35. The dependent variable is the extent of symptoms as indicated by the ASRS-V1.1 scale among the children. The results were used as an indicator of which set of kindergarteners is more likely to be at risk for ADHD; children with†¦show more content†¦More prominent than the biological differences of teen mothers versus that of adult mothers is the socioeconomic factors that tend to be present in teen pregnancy situations (AAP, 1999). These factors are identified and ag reed upon in many studies as; poverty, marital status, education level and prenatal care (AAP, 1999; Skoglund et. al., 2014; Fraser Ward, 1995 and Rothenberg, 1981). These factors have been proven to negatively affect any pregnancy regardless of the age of the mother (Ralitza, 2001). Ralitza et. al, (2001) study the effects of teenage pregnancy in relation to educational disabilities. It is found that there is little evidence to identify a link when all socioeconomic factors are controlled. On the other hand there is a confirmed link between smoking while pregnant and the onset of Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Ellis et, al., 2012). This study will only explore the onset of ADHD when considering educational disabilities. ADHD can be defined as a â€Å"neuro-developmental disorder that is characterized by impairment in the levels of attention, disorganization and/or hyperactivity impulsivity† (Ahmadi, 2012). It is stated that ADHD affects nearly five percent of our nation’s population of children (AAP, 1999). When considering the affects of AHDH to children, it is perceived that children with ADHD often have more social and emotional